To the east of Balasagon City, at the Burana Buddhist Temple, Titsigu looked at the purple-robed monk who came anxiously to report the news, and his head immediately fell into a state of downtime. Several eminent monks from Balasagon behind him also had confused faces. mind.
This helper they hired themselves turned them away without asking any questions.
No! This should not be said to be shut out, but rather to be described as hostility.
And the reason used was that Balashagon and Shule had different beliefs.
No need for bullshit belief!
Buddhism is not Nestorianism, Tianfang Sect, etc., and the sectarian conflicts are not fierce at all. This county official can use any excuse, but this one should not be used.
Because using this excuse is equivalent to telling everyone that I am just a perfunctory person.
"This..., this Duke, isn't he an impostor?" A purple-robed monk said with great imagination.
"Impossible!" Another purple-robed monk shook his head.
"Even if Duke Zhang is a fake, the soldiers under his command cannot be fake. The traitor Saktu has been defeated. There is no other country in Hezhong and Anxi that can produce such brave soldiers."
"Does that mean someone leaked our secret? Or did they know the information about Talos?" Someone else questioned.
Master Titsigu shook his head slowly, with a solemn look on his face.
"The poor monk will go there in person tomorrow morning. I am the one who caused this trouble and it is up to me to solve it.
Those in the Great Qin Sect have begun to think about retreating. Apart from the Kingdom of Khotan, we have no other force to rely on.
Even if it is a lie, I must keep this Duke Zhang. If he is dissatisfied, let him vent it on me! "
. . . .
In Helie City, several fast horses rushed towards the Nestorian temple in the city like a whirlwind. Xuancheng, the prudent virtuous man, looked at the secret letter in his hand and was speechless for a long time.
The secret letter contained only a few words, but it made this great Nestorian monk, who was over sixty years old, sigh for a long time.
The young man at the bottom quietly stood on tiptoe to look at it. The secret letter clearly read the words "Tang'er has arrived in Shazhou, please wait."
"It's you, it's your Guo family who has harmed everyone!"
"Your father is a traitor. He betrayed all of us! We followed your Guo family blindly."
"Can your Guo family be worthy of us? Are you worthy of the old prince's spirit in heaven?"
Xuancheng, the prudent virtuous man, closed his eyes with a look of pain on his face. These scoldings came from the people he was closest to. For decades, he thought he had forgotten it, but now it is like this clear.
"I am not a traitor! He is not a traitor!" Xuancheng, the prudent virtuous man, muttered a few words in a low voice. Then he opened his eyes and spoke a few words to the messenger with great difficulty.
"Please reply to the great sir, the dead are gone, the living are like this, I have forgotten that, the plan remains unchanged, Balashagon will become a place of right and wrong, it is not suitable to stay for a long time."
. . . .
In the palace of Balashagon Khan, Hu Duwuxi couldn't help but yawn. According to the time, it was almost the end of the Chou period (a little after two o'clock in the middle of the night), but Lord Zhang opposite him didn't show any signs of fatigue. He was still He looked at himself with that half-smiling expression that made people feel terrified.
This made Hu Duwuxi feel a little bit embarrassed, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? What a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you tell me!
After several hours of ideological struggle, Hu Duwuxi's attitude had actually softened somewhat.
He doesn't have many family members in Balasagon City. Although his old wife and young daughter are in the city, they are not something that cannot be abandoned. The important thing is that the tribe must survive, and whether the benefits are big enough for him to give up his wife and daughter.
"Is the old gentleman sleepy? It's strange. Isn't it said that people often can't sleep as they get older? Why does the old gentleman look different?"
Zhang Zhao looked at Hu Duwuxi who was sleepy and teary-eyed, and then asked jokingly.
Hu Duwuxi was almost speechless. What did he mean by being unable to sleep at an old age? He wanted to sleep now.
However, he was a little complacent, because the word "sir" was not a casual title in this era. It was a term for a virtuous elder whom he respected very much.
Why does this seemingly rude Duke Zhang regard himself as his elder? Hu Duwuxi had no idea that this was because in later generations, sir was just a common title.
All right! Since people call themselves sir, let’s give in a little bit! Hu Duwuxi comforted himself in his heart.
"I still have a family in the city. Can the Duke send someone to send them out of the city? Master Titsigu and others are willing to surrender to the Kingdom of Jin. It is true that they have some evil intentions, but they are also from Balasagon, how can they betray them at will?"
What he said was righteous, but Zhang Zhao knew that this was just a sign of preparing to speak, and the key point was the word 'casual'.
However, Zhang Zhao curled his lips in disdain. You, a Uighur, should use the Uighur way of going straight. You can't learn the twists and turns of the Han people.
"Are you asking for a favor from me? I said that if you can save me time and energy, I will give you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don't you want to know what the opportunity is?"
"I'd like to hear the details!" Hu Duowu Xi secretly sighed and said, "God is wise. This prince is finally on the right track. I have wanted to know for a long time, but you didn't tell me!"
"Do you know why the great sage of the Jin Kingdom asked someone to come here? Because Balashagon is too far away from Khotan, I'm afraid Master Titsi's so-called surrender is just lip service but not real.
That's why the Great Sage and Emperor asked someone to come here, and someone doesn't have much energy to take care of Balasagun. Do you understand? "
After saying that, Zhang Zhao felt an unprecedented sense of relief, as if the irritability that had been suppressed in his heart was suddenly released.
Zhang Zhao also suddenly found the reason why he was so anxious these days. Ever since Li Shengtian asked him to take a trip to Balashagon, Zhang Zhao's heart felt like a stone was weighing on him.
Originally, according to his and Li Shengtian's plan, after defeating Saktu, the next step should be to attack the Bakhna country, which is the Fergana Basin. Balashagon, which is blocked by the snowy mountains, was not in the plan of the two at all. middle.
Now that Li Shengtian suddenly appeared like this, he should have been a little on guard against Zhang Zhao.
Zhang Zhao actually understood that such a day would come sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to come so soon. It was too early. He had not yet completed the layout, and Khotan's national power was not yet stable.
Of course, it's just a sign now. Zhang Zhao guessed in his heart that Li Shengtian might have the intention of letting him garrison Balashagon. Perhaps Li Shengtian believed that the Khotan Kingdom could learn from the Kara Khanate's dual-heads-of-state model.
In fact, if you don’t still have ambitions in your heart, Balasagun is a good choice. Hundreds of years later, there will be a person here who is deeply influenced by the Central Plains culture. Yelu Dashi uses Balasagun as Hu Sihan’s ear. , thus establishing Xiliao.
With his own ability, it is not difficult to build a Xiliao, but this is not what Zhang Zhao wants.
This is probably why Zhang Zhao, who always likes to think carefully, chose to treat Titsigu and others so roughly. He didn't want to spend too much time in this place, and just wanted to solve the problem quickly.
Perhaps, Zhang Zhao couldn't help but have another option in his mind. Maybe he could not attack Fergana and return to Shazhou directly after the Balashagon incident was settled?
But then he shook his head, this won't work. If he goes back now, he will still be a military leader with at most two to three hundred soldiers. With this strength, how many years will it take to seize the power of the Guiyi Army?
After seizing the power of the Guiyi Army, there are still Ganzhou Uighurs, Liangzhou Amo, and Dingnan Li families that need to be resolved, which may take more than ten or twenty years.
And more than ten or twenty years later, the Central Plains was at the peak of the British leader Guo Rong. He led a large army with mixed ethnic composition to confront Guo Rong? I’m afraid I don’t even know how I died in the end!
Zhang Zhao knows his own abilities. Although he seems to be invincible at the moment, he actually has the advantage of being a time traveler. With the blessing of this advantage, his vision, personal quality and even bravery are magnified.
But after more than ten or twenty years, when he is no different from the local aborigines, he will definitely not be able to compare with a human hero like Guo Rong.
Not to mention Guo Rong, Zhao Da can beat him by two blocks. Maybe his ability, probably, is only a little better than the Gaoliang River Car God. At least he will never choose to abandon his robe and ride a donkey cart. drift.
Therefore, Zhang Zhao's best opportunity is to intercept Liu Zhiyuan when Yelv Deguang enters the Central Plains.
Entering the Central Plains at this time, you can firmly grasp the great righteousness, because the Khitan caused trouble in the Central Plains, and he, Zhang Erlang, held high the banner of ancestral loyalty, expelled the Tartars, stabilized the Central Plains, and won a country that was more upright than the Han Emperor Gaozu conquered the Qin Dynasty.
Among the feudal dynasties, only Taizu Hongwu's Northern Expedition to the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty could compare with this.
With such a righteous reputation, he had the confidence to reverse the arrogant ethos of the five generations of warriors. He could also successfully recruit Guo Wei, Guo Rong and other celebrities under his command, and finally regained Yanyun, expedition to the desert in the north, and sealed the wolf in Xu.
But if you miss this opportunity and want to dominate the Central Plains just by relying on the northwest, it is probably a fool's errand.
If nothing else, the warriors of the Five Dynasties were not the warriors of the Song Dynasty and the late Ming Dynasty. This was the era when warriors were most arrogant and their fighting power was overwhelming. They had no righteousness in their hands and participated in the melee of the Five Dynasties like a warlord?
Zhang Zhao couldn't help but shudder!
He didn't want to be hijacked or stabbed into holes by tooth soldiers like Wei Bo Yin Gun Xiao Jiejun, a model of military democracy.
Therefore, the only way is to dispel Li Shengtian's doubts. He must complete the established plan so that he can take away a large amount of supplies and soldiers who are willing to go east with him from Anxi and Fergana.
With at least two thousand mounted soldiers and more than five hundred iron cavalry, he could quickly pacify Hexi, and finally march into the Central Plains just as the Later Jin Dynasty collapsed.
What Zhang Zhao was thinking about was Li Shengtian's change in attitude, but Hu Duowuxi thought that Zhang Zhao was waiting for him to think it over clearly. He couldn't help but look at Zhang Zhao in confusion, and stroked a few strands of his beard under his chin with some pride. .
The doubt was that he had some doubts about whether Zhang Zhao could solve the trouble at hand.
I was proud because I thought that the prince had chosen me among so many people. He had a good vision and knew that he was capable!
"The Duke is indeed a wise man. I have been born here and have been here for a long time. What I am missing is this opportunity. If I can control Balasagon for the Duke, I will do my best!"
Zhang Zhao glanced at the red-faced, curly-haired old Uighur man Hu Duwuxi in astonishment. This man really has a big appetite! I just wanted to say that he could share some of the power after the matter was completed, but I didn't say that Balasa Gun would let him control it!
"Does the prince know why Titusi insisted on surrendering to Khotan? And why is the city so desolate?" Hu Duwuxi was ready to make a big revelation.
"Please clear up the confusion!" Zhang Zhao stretched out his hand to indicate for him to continue.
"Because since Balasagon fell to the Persians twenty years ago, a large number of people in the city and the surrounding countryside have converted to Tianfang Sect. After driving away the Persians, the returned Bugra Khansak Tu turned out to be a believer in Tianfang Sect.
Therefore, after the Persians left, the number of Tianfang believers in Balasagon not only did not decrease, but actually increased.
The siege of Saktu was caused by the intensified conflicts between Buddhists, Nestorians and Tianfang Christians in the city.
When Saktu learned that the Duke had captured Shule and retreated, the Tianfang believers who followed outside the city were unable to retreat, and thousands of them were besieged.
Originally, the two great virtues of Nestorian Dignity and Prudence meant that they would only kill the head and ignore the threats, but the ancient master Titusi refused to do so, and a war broke out in the end. Most of the Tianfang believers were killed and injured, and a small number escaped. "
Zhang Zhao nodded slowly. Religious struggles were very cruel in the tenth century. The opinions of the two Nestorian sages and Titusigu were both correct, but Zhang Zhao still appreciated Titusigu’s ruthlessness more. style.
Hu Duwuxi glanced at Zhang Zhao and realized that the prince was also a ruthless master. He sighed quietly.
"Originally there was no problem in doing this. When the Persians were there, we were not short of people, and they even levied a poll tax on the remaining ones who refused to convert.
But the bad thing is that although there are few Tianfang believers in Balasagon, there are many in another place, and that is Talos, not far from here. "
"Talas?" When Zhang Zhao heard this name, he couldn't help but be distracted for a moment. He remembered that Talas seemed to be not far from Balasagon, only a few hundred kilometers away, from Bishule to Balasagon. Shagon was halfway closer.
"It seems that the Duke already knows." Hu Duwuxi nodded. Looking at Zhang Zhao's thoughtful look, he thought Zhang Zhao already knew, but Zhang Zhao just remembered Gao Xianzhi's Battle of Talas.
"Since Talas fell earlier than Balasagun, the number of Tianfang Sect is much larger than that of Balasagun. Balasagun only has a few thousand people, but Talas has tens of thousands, almost accounting for all of Talasa." half the number in the Ross area.
The defeated troops of the Tianfang Sect here ran to Talas, and a conflict immediately broke out there. As a result, the believers of the three sects were defeated, and their blood flowed like rivers, so they had no choice but to run towards Balashagon. "
Only then did Zhang Zhao truly understand. It turned out that Titsigu and others were eager to come to Khotan to express their surrender in order to find a backer for themselves!
However, there are still some doubts. Even if you need to find a backer, it's not a big deal, right? Is it okay to say no?
Hearing Zhang Zhao's question, Hu Duwuxi shook his head helplessly.
"Actually, before we sent people to the Kingdom of Jin to express our willingness to surrender to the Great Sage and the Emperor, we had already fought a war with the Tianfang cultists of Talas.
At that time, Yehu, who was in the city, gathered an army of 10,000 people and fought a big battle with the Tianfang cultists of Talos in Julan City. However, the other party was waiting for work and defeated us with only a few thousand people. "
Zhang Zhao was speechless. What kind of military strategists are there in Talas City? Don’t you know what your level is?
Moreover, he had just returned from the battle and had not even taken a break before running to Julan City, hundreds of kilometers away, to start a war with others. How confident was he to be able to carry out such an operation that would kill people thousands of miles away?
"Even if the battle is defeated, there are still hundreds of thousands of people in the surrounding areas of Balasagun. The Karakhanites in Talas are estimated to be only tens of thousands. How can they swallow you up?"
From Zhang Zhao's perspective, there must have been other things going on. There was no way that Balashagon, with a scale of more than 100 or 200,000 people, could not sustain itself just because of a defeat.
"The prince didn't know what he knew. We found out later that the Talos were able to defeat us because they had a large number of Persian soldiers hidden in their army. It turned out that after the Karakhan Tianfang believers learned that Saktu had retreated, they He took refuge with the Persians again.
After this disastrous defeat, the Persians despised us even more. They heard that Nasr, the emir of the Persian Samanid Kingdom, had gathered troops in Samarkand and Dashkent (Tashkent), preparing to capture Balashagon again. !
The Duke said that there were a lot fewer people in Balashagon. That was because the Nestorian sages had prepared to evacuate their people to Helie City and Dongcheng City, which were hundreds of miles away, to avoid disaster. Those who wanted to hold on, There is only the ancient Buddhist master Titusi. "
This is very clear. Zhang Zhao finally figured out the general situation. No wonder he always felt that the atmosphere in Balashagon was terrifyingly tense.
Titsigu also looked like he wanted to show off. When he wrote to Li Shengtian, he even offered to send more troops and horses to Khotan. It turned out that he really wanted to draw the Khotan army to support the tank!
And the water is quite deep. The Persian Samanid Dynasty is not a small country. It currently controls half of the Iranian plateau, the entire Afghanistan, and most of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
It has been a state for more than 60 years, with its capital in Bukhara. It has a population of at least six to seven million, and a standing army of at least 40,000 to 50,000, and even more can be recruited.
"I have a task. I wonder if the old gentleman can help me complete it? Give me a message to the majestic sage of Nestorianism, saying that a certain Zhang Erlang wants to meet him."
After the matter was clarified, Zhang Zhao's strategy changed. The trouble was caused by Titsigu, and he could not run away, but the Nestorian believers and tribes were prepared to run away, and these people must be left behind first.
Because there are far more Nestorians in Balasagon than Buddhists, if they run away, they will have to rely on the remaining Buddhists and the declining Manichaeans, who have no ability to deal with the Samanid dynasty.
Yes, although he was pulled to hold the tank, he was not prepared to run away, because he was originally planning to dig a piece of meat from the Samanid Dynasty.
And if there is a fight with the Samanid Dynasty on the side of Balasagun, then there will be another advantage, that is, it can draw the attention of the Samanid Dynasty to places they are unfamiliar with.
Now that Saktu has gone north, the Fergana Basin that originally belonged to the Kara Khanate has become an enclave. If Nasr II of the Samanid Dynasty is not completely stupid, he will definitely find a way to capture it. Fergana Basin, because this was originally their territory.
If Zhang Zhao fights with the Samanid Dynasty in Balasagon, it will reduce the pressure on the Fergana region.
Otherwise, by the time he finishes handling Balasagun's matter, Fergana will probably belong to someone else, and it will be another hard battle by then.
It seems that it is best not only to defend Balasagun, but also to have a big fight with the Samanid Dynasty here.
Hu Duowuxi had just gone out when Bai Congxin, Fanshun and Li Ruotai walked in. The three of them had serious faces, especially Li Ruotai. He looked at Zhang Zhao and seemed hesitant to speak.
Of course, Zhang Zhao couldn't put on airs about his cheap uncle. He motioned for the three of them to sit down and said to Li Ruotai.
"Second brother, if you have something to say, just say it. You can speak freely here."
"My lord, I think it's not worth going to war with the Persians over Balashagon." Li Ruotai said, cupping his hands.
"This place doesn't belong to us in the first place, and it's far away from the snow-capped mountains and difficult to govern. Even if we can't forgive our feelings, we can just let those who are willing to follow me retreat to Shule. The Persian Samanid Kingdom is not a small country. It is impossible to fight against it. wisdom!"
"Second brother is right." Zhang Zhao couldn't help but yawned loudly. He was really too sleepy.
"But those are all appearances. The Persian Samanid Kingdom looks glorious and prosperous and is a big country in the middle of the river, but in fact it has long been in decay.
Nasr II was addicted to wine and debauchery, and luxury was prevalent in the country. The conflict between the Shiye sect and the Xunli sect was sharp. Nasr II did not try to eliminate it, but instead fueled the situation because of his personal preferences.
In addition, they were defeated by Saktu four years ago, and the morale and combat effectiveness of the army have not yet been restored. They appear to be unparalleled, but in fact they are strong on the outside and incompetent on the inside.
Moreover, the terrain from Balashagon to Danros is difficult and suitable for ambush and fighting with small legions of elite soldiers. This is exactly the advantage of our elite army. The right time and place are on our side. Saktu can win, so why can't we? ? "
"I support Mr. Erlang!" Bai Congxin said at the side.
"In addition to these favorable conditions, I also believe that the Persian Samanid Kingdom is a prosperous country in the river. If we can defeat it, we will definitely be famous.
The ethnic groups in Anxi and Hezhong are all grassland peoples, and they have the habit of following the strong. Although the Persian Samanid Kingdom is now powerful, as long as we let them show their true nature of weakness, there will immediately be a lot of hope to take a bite out of the Samanid Kingdom. A fat man joins us, after all here, being unable to protect one's property is the greatest sin. "
When Li Ruotai saw what Bai Congxin said, he thought for a moment and nodded. He had to say that what Bai Congxin said made sense. How would the new Wolf King take over? Of course, it is to kill the old wolf who is already showing signs of decline.
"In this case, why don't you give me a warrant, and I will go back to Khotan. The eldest brother has two hundred soldiers, who are the foundation of my brothers. I will bring them all here and do what I want. A big vote."
"Okay! Then thank you, brother, I'll set off immediately, but you must come back within a month and a half!"
Zhang Zhao nodded in agreement. Balashagon had been fighting for years and had insufficient supplies to support the army, so he had to win with quality. He needed a large number of elite soldiers.
